Elevator signal system.



-A. c. mmam ELEVATOR SI'GNAL svsrm.

APPLICATION .FILED OCT. 23. Ill-5m Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1- WITNESSES: q

A; C. McNABB.

ELEVATOR SIGNAL SYSTEIL APPLICATION min 00123 m5. "1,256,343. PatantedFeb. 12, :191&

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f ml" .W'Uuw mas/4 TOR Arron/m STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALVIN C. IMRJNAIBB, OF DALLAS, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF T CHARLES L.WAKEFIELD, OF DALLASCOUNTY, TEXAS.

ELEVATOR SIGNAL SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent, P t t b. 1 ,.191g

Application filed October 23, 1915. Serial No. 57,393.

Improvements in Elevator Signal Systems,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to new and useful improvements in elevatorsignaling systems. In buildings having a bank of two or more elevatorsquite a little difiiculty is experienced' in running the cars 1n theproper spaced order and maintaining such spaced order. For instance in a.building of ten floors with three cars the first car should be at thetop floor when the third car is at the 4 first floor; while the secondcar should be at eflicient manner.

the fifth or sixth floor. These relative positions must be retained inorder to give first class service and handle the trafiic in an It hasbeen found that a practical way to accomplish this result is toprovidemeans in each car 'whereby the operatorthereof will know at all timesthe exact floor position of the other cars in the same bank. Suchinformation can be given in a practical way by indicators placed in thecars; outside signals, telephones and starting devices have not provenefficient.

, Some Work has been done along this line,- but-it is pointed out thatthe indicator must be of, an instantaneous nature, giving aprominentindividual signal for each other car as the operator has notime for following the course of revolving or rotating signals of aswinging pointer. The signal must stand out bold and be discernible at aglance. The operator must know not only the position of the carahead orabove but also the position of the car following.

It has been found by actual tests that sigfound very efiicient. Eachlamp or target is connected with its contact by aseparate circuit andmay be separately energized.

Frequently a car having descended only a few floors becomes so loadedthat it cannot take on more passengers. My invention contemplates inconnection with the individ ual floor signals, means whereby an operatormay notify the operators in the other cars that his car is loadedandalso designate his particular car by a character signal located inthe other cars. This permits the operator with the loaded car tocomplete thejtrip withoutmaking additional stops and at the same timeenables the other cars following to take on the passengers from thefloors passed by the loaded car. To facilitate the through trip of theloaded car its floor indicating circuits to the other cars may be brokenand a s gnal set up; in the loaded car which cap only be removed byrestoring the floor indicating connections or circuits.

It is further planned to have amonitor'ing cabinet, located 'onan'inspectors or starters desk and arranged to "show simultaneously atall times the relative fioor positions and conditions of all the cars.

In carrying out the invention I provide in each car a cabinet having oneor more vertical rowsof signals arranged so that a separate and distinctsignal is set up for each floor, successively from one end of the row-to the other; there being a separate contact for each signal in therow. I prefer to arrange the contacts at one end of the elevator shaftorall at one place so they will be close together, whereby the signalswill be given at rapid intervals and substantially in a continuous man'ner. Y

Each indicator is also provided with a loaded signal for each of theother cars and an operatdrs signal for the car in which thesaidindicator is located; together with proper switches and accessories.

tact strips in section and its associate parts in elevation, and

Fig. 3 is'a detail of one of the indicator cabinets. a r In illustratingthe invention I have indicated by the letters A, Band 0, cars in a bankof three elevators operating in a build- I position of the other cars.

comprises a plurality of vertical rows of,

sockets2, one row being provided for each other car and the rows; beingsufficiently spacedto isolate them from, each other; In

the sockets lampsare disposed. Also in each cabinet 1 a socket 10 isprovided at the top and receives a lamp 5. The cabinet isconstructedwith a glass orcover having the characters shown in Fig. 1which will be illuminated when the circuits to the lamps thereunder areclosed. Just here I wish to state that it is not necessary to employlamps as other form's'of indicators employing signals in a 'row might beused; but I wish to point out that an individual signal given for eachfloor as the floor is passed and the preceding signal being extinguishedbefore the succeedin signal is set up, is most desirable. By t is methodthe operator may see at a glance at just what fioors the other cars areand is not required to locate, proportion or-follow'any continuouslymoving apparatus.

- By observin 1 Fig. 1 it will be seen that each 'row of in 'catorsignals is headed by a letter (A, B and C) designating-oneof the a othercars; while in the same row appear the numbers of the floors in theirproper order. The cabinet 1 in the car B has its rows designated A and Cand it is the purpose to indicate the courses of the other cars A and C.It is obvious that circuits closed by the cars A and C will operate thesignals in car B.

It will be noted that each row has an individual signal for each floorand at the head of each row there is a character signal indicating theparticular car operating the other signals in said:row. The lamp at thischaracter signal is normall not lighted and is not connected withthe oorcontacts.

I propose to locate my circuit closing contacts at the t0p 'or bottom ofthe elevator shaft and in the pent house when the same is present. I hadcontemplated placing a contact at each floor in the shaft, but foundthis im ractical and expensive to install and ,ceeding two feet and isoperated by a chain 7 winding on a drum 8 rotating very slowly.

The drum is driven by a speed reduction gearing, aportion of which isindicated at 9 andwhich is inclosed in the housing 10. This gearing isdriven by a chain 12 and sprocket 11 which are operated by the car.

The parts just described are well known in this art and. form no partofthe invention.

1' fasten a sliding contact 13 on the rod and connect this with one sidea of the main circuit. An upright contact strip 14 of'insulatingmaterial is erected opposite each rod and proxided with a plurality. ofsuperposed spaced contacts 15, one for each floor. The sliding contact13 isof such construction as to slide freely over the contacts 15, butto engage only'one at a time. Each contact 15 has individual circuitconnection with one ofthe lamps in the cabinets 1 of the cars in theother-shafts; It is obvious that these circuits could be closed by othermeans, and apparatus at the top or bottom of the shaft suitable for thepurpose can always be found, the foregoing merely being an illustration.

It will be seen that the contacts at the top of a certain shaft areconnected with the signals in the cars in other shafts. For instance thecontacts 15 at the top of the shaft of car B are connected with theindicator lamps 30 in the cars A and G and so on. Four contacts for each'sh'aft are shown and they each have connection with the floor lamps inthe cabinets 1- of the cars in the other shafts indicating the first,second, third and fourth floors respectively. The other side 6 of themain circuit has common colfnection with all lamps.

n ing from the contacts 15 of each shaft as follows';from shaft A, thewires are A A A and A; while B, B B and B run cables to the proper lamps30 in the various cabinets 1. It will be seen that the contact 13 of thecar B is engaged with the contact 15 for the second floor which isattached to the wire B running to cabinets in cars A and C and to thelamps 30 .under the character 2 in row 13 of each cabinet.

On' each cabinet 'isnlocated a twoway switch 16 havin connection by awire 0 with side a of t e main circuit and which has two poles, oneconnected by a wire (2 with the respective contact 13 and the other Fig.1, I have lettered the wires leadfrom shaft B, and C C, C and C run fromshaft C. These wires lead through being connected by a wire a with partslater ators thathe is going to the other end of the described. Thecircuits bein closed through switches in each car and y way of the wires0 and d, the lamps under the character 2 in the rows B of the. cabinets1 in cars A and C, will burn. If car B moves up or down the circuit overwire B will be broken and the circuit leading from the next contact willbe closed and the corresponding lam s lighted and so on. The same istrue 0 the other cars.

Car A isindicated as being at the first floor, its contact 13 beingengaged with contact 15 of the first floor wh ch is connected by wires Awith the signal 1 in row A of cars B and 1C. Car C is at the third flooras indicated. In Fig. l the illuminated signals are shaded indicating vthe lamps I which are burning. It is obvious that each movement of thecars is indicated by the extinguishing of one lamp and the lighting ofthe next'lamp. a I

This system is much more effective where a monitoring cabinet is used.The cabinet 17 may be? constructed similar to the' cabinets 1 exceptthat arow-of lamps and char acters for each car are employed and no carindicating lamps are. needed. The lamps in this cabinet are 'connectedas indicated and the signal for the location of eachcar is given. Anattendant can see at a glance the relative positions of the cars andlearn which operator is responsible for ineflicient service due to theimproper spacing of his car.

The lamp 5 in each cabinet 1 is not lighted under normal conditions, butshould a.

car become loaded while going up or down the operator may by operatingthe switch 16 llght the lamp 5 in his own car, also li ht the lamps athis row character (Aj n.

or ,C-) in the cabinets of the other cars,

said lamps not burning undernormal conditions; he may also break thecircuit connectrons from the contacts 15 of his shaft. In this way hewill notify the other.opershaft without taking 'on additional passengersand permitting them to care for the traflic from which he hastemporarily withdrawn. This signal is given by swinging the switch 16 tothe pole attached to wire 6. 'VVire e of each cabinet runs tothe lampsat the row characters A, B and C. For instance wire 6 from the cabinetin car C runs to the lamps at C in the cabinets of cars A and B. Whenthe switch 1s thrown to give this signal the floor signals 1n the carare not operated as their circuits are broken and this is also carriedout in the monitoring cabinet 17. Each lamp 5 has connectionwith thewirec of its own cabinet and is thus lighted when the switch is thrown.

If 4 car C- should become loaded at the v ferentiated.

third floor on a down trip the operator merely throws his switch 16 sothat the cirthe cabinet- 17; the lamps at C insaid cars being lighted,-thus giving the loaded signal. The lamp 5 in car 0 is also lighted and.burns until the-switch is thrown back and normal conditions restored;The operator. must do this, thus checking himself.

It is obvious that this system" permits each operator to properly spacehis car and if a car gets out of position the operator can see therelative positions of the other cars at a glance and bring his car intoharmony .with the others. The signals for each car being readilycomprehended add much to the efficiency of the operation. If a floor ispassed and the car is backed up no additional operation is required sofar as this system is concerned- When a car is stationary at a certainfloor, a standing signal of much prominence is given'in the other cars.WVhat'I claim, is:

1. The combination with two ormore ele- I vator cars, of an indicatorlocated in each car constructed to indicate the floor posi-. tions ofother cars, a movable contact member operated by each car, a pluralityof in-' dividual floor signals disposed on said indi-. cator, eachsignal having common connee-. tion withsaid movable-contact member, anda plurality of contacts successively engaged by said movable contactmember and each contact having separate circuit connection withanindividual floor signal, whereby each floor signal is energizedbyclosing a separate .cireuit connected therewith nly, the other signalsnot energized remaining dormant whereby said energized signal is dif- 2.In an elevator monitoring system, the combination with a plurality ofindicators, each of which is located in a difierent car, each indicatorhaving signal devices for indicating the relative positions of the othercars, electrical circuit connections between the indicators, amonitoring indicator 10- cated at a fixed point and-having signalscorresponding to those of the indicators in the cars, and electricalcircuit connections between the signal devices of the car indicators andthe correspondin signals of the monitoring indicator where y therelative positions of all the cars are indicated by the operation of thesignals of the monitoring indicator.

3. The combination with a bank of ele- 1 vator cars, of a plurality offloor indicators, each of which has provision for indicating floorstraversed and is located in a different car, said indicators beingelectrically con nected one with the other, and a monitoringindicatorlocated at a fixed point and having means electricallyconnected with indicators of the cars for-indicating the respectivefloor positions of all. the cars whose meanspperatedby each-car torsuccessively operating-the signals in individual order in the othercars.

tor cars, of a plurality of indicators each lo- The combinationwith abank of elevator cars, of a lurality. of indicators each located in a dierent car, each indicator having means for indicating the relativepositions of the other cars, electrical circuit connections between theindicators, and means carried in each-car. and electrically connectedwhereby 'a'loaded signal may be given in each of the other cars.

\ v6. The combination with a bank of elevator cars, of a plurality ofindicators each located in a different car, eachindicator having meansfor indicating the relative positions of the other cars, electricalcircuit connections between the indicators, means car ried in each carand. electricall connected whereby a loaded signal may e given in eachof the other cars, and a monitoring indicator electrically connectedwith the indicators in the cars and having provision for indicating thepositions of all the cars in the 7. The combination with a bank ofelevacated in a different car, each indicator having means forindicating the relative positions of the other cars, electrical circuitconnections between the indicators, and means carried in 'each car andelectrically connected whereby a loaded signal ma be given in each ofthe other cars and the indicating means of the loaded car madeinoperative.

8. The combination witha bank of elevator cars, of a plurality ofindicators each 10- cated in a difl'erent car, each indicator havingmeans for indicating the relative positions of the other cars,electrical circuit connections between the indicators, means carried ineach car and electrically connected whereby aloaded'signal may begivenin each of the other cars,'and a monitoring signal in each carelectrically connected so as to be operated only in the car giving theloaded signal.

9. In an elevator .car indicator, a row of signals disposed insuperposed order in the car and arranged to indicate floors of .abuilding as the car reaches and passes the same, a car designatingsignal correlated with the row of floor signals, and a switch located ata place other than the car carrying .the indicator and connected withthe same so'that said floor signals may be cut out and said-cardesignating signal operated.

10. The combination of two indicators each located in a separateelevator car, each indicator having a plurality of signals forindicating the floor positions of the other car and also a designatingsignal for the other car inactive while said floor signals are active,and a switch located at each indicator and connected with the indicatorof the other car so that when closed it will disconnect the floorsignals at said last named car indicator and operate the car designatingsignal at the same indicator, 1

11. The combination of two indicators each locatd in a separate elevatorcar, each indicator havin indicating the oor positions of'the other carand also a designating signal for the other car inactive while saidfloor signals are active, a switch located at each indicator andelectrically connected with the indicator of'the other car so that whenclosed it will disconnect the floor signals at said last named carindicator and operate the car designating signal at the same indicator,said indicators each having an operators signal connected with saidswitch to operate at the same indicator at which the switch is closed.

12. The combination with two or more elevator cars, of a plurality ofindicators each located in a different car, each indicator having aplurality of individual floor signal devices foreach of the othei cars,electrical circuit connections between the Indicatorswhereby individualfloor signal devices at each indicator for each car are simultaneouslyoperated by the other cars, the operated floor signal device for acarbeing differentiated from the other si a1 devices for the same car,each signal evi'ce being controlled by a separate circuit.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

' ALVIN C. .McNABB.

a plurality of signals for

